ARE YOU AN

INSIDER

Tour a Beachy Airbnb That Exudes California-Cool Vibes

Making an Airbnb retreat feel like a cool vacation getaway and a cozy place to call home is a tricky task, but Homepolish designer Christine Lin was up for the challenge when she renovated her Santa Cruz surf house into a stylish rental. The three-bedroom, two-bath home boasts open living, dining, and kitchen spaces, a third-floor loft, and an aesthetic described as "beach town modern." Lin explains that she wanted to create a vacation home that could stand up to the wear and tear of Airbnb guests but still feel like home to her and her husband when they visit.

"It was a fine balance to keep with having to use both throwaway items that we wouldn't get attached to and nicely designed items that would last and stay with us." Lin made heavy use of Craigslist, Chairish, Etsy, and her local flea market in Alameda to find amazing, affordable vintage pieces that ended up being some of her favorite pieces in the home. Even the artwork is vintage. For the rest, Lin curated a laid-back assortment of inexpensive lighting, sofas, tables, and rugs that come together for a streamlined study in California cool.

Tour the Airbnb surf house below, and see more of what Christine Lin has to say about designing the space.

"The only pieces we brought from our home were the two vertically oriented artworks in the living room. We wanted bright art to pop against the white walls, and these two pieces were the perfect colors."

"Given the proximity to the beach, we wanted it to have a lot of natural elements, hence the browns, greens, grays, and we also wanted it to feel airy, so white paint was used throughout. The black tones and bright art mixed in provide the modern look."

"For the kitchen, to save cost, we removed some of the upper cabinets and replaced them with open shelving, and then painted the rest of the cabinets. The open shelving is amazing for a rental home because guests don't have to go digging through every cabinet to find what they need. We did splurge on the custom concrete countertops though and have no regrets."